


The Road to Ruin

by Feelsripper



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Profanity, SO MUCH PROFANITY MY GOD, Zombie AU, cleanliness based OCD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-04
Updated: 2014-04-05
Packaged: 2018-01-14 14:24:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1269775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feelsripper/pseuds/Feelsripper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had been a long time since anything good had happened to Levi, but given that they're in the middle of a goddamn zombie apocalypse, he can't say he's too surprised. He's a long way from the West coast, and he's chasing a pipe dream of cures and safe havens that will get him nowhere. But a man needs a reason to get up in the morning, and he'll take whatever he can get.</p><p>Everything changes when he bumps into a rag-tag group of survivors heading the same way. They're all freaks, and yet they take him on anyways. He doesn't know if any of them will make it to see the end, but he knows this: whatever his fate, he's on the road to ruin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Alkalyne, as usual, has been both a terror and a godsend. I owe them _so_ much for their time, and putting up with my short attention span, random story barfles, and oh god so much more. SO MANY THANKS.

The sun bore down on Levi, and made him suffer in the oppressive summer heat. It had been a grueling three days walking in the hot sun, and his skin was sticky with sweat. It was hard to think back and remember what it was like to actually feel clean when he had a week's worth salt and grime coating his skin. A shiver ran through him and he wiped his clammy palms on his pants. He tried not to think too hard on it; it was what it was.

He exhaled a moment, taking a good sweeping glance over his surroundings. Garbage fluttered in the wind across the empty road before him, the grass tall and dry. If he had a match, he could set the whole countryside ablaze within minutes. Maybe if those damn corpses had no where to go they'd all burn up, hemmed in by withered shrubs and spindly trees, for even the corpses were not immune to flame.  
He took a sick joy in the thought of their bodies being devoured and destroyed by the heat, but it quickly passed. In the end it only made him feel overheated and even more tired than he already was.

Never the less, he kept walking, alert to the shadows moving in the trees. Bits of litter were scattered in the dirt, a large gust of wind blowing a ratty newspaper to his feet.

"Disgusting." Levi sneered, peeling the crumbled paper off his boot. It was brittle and coated with dirt, but he could still make out some print beneath the grime. With a gloved hand he smeared the dirt from the header. The date read March twenty-second: the first of many days into mankind's swan song. It occurred to him that he had no recollection as to what day it was. Then again, he didn't particularly care; it mattered little now.

He crumbled the filthy thing and shoved it into a pocket in his duffel-bag. It wouldn't take much room, and he'd never know when he'd need tinder. He continued on his way again, not quite comfortable with the silence that had fallen around him. It seemed too fragile, and just waiting to be broken.

Sure enough, there was a sound in the distance that instantly put Levi on edge. It'd been awhile since he'd seen a car, but he knew the sound of an engine when he heard it. Whatever or whoever it was, he didn't want to find out. He bolted from the from the road at full speed, ready to dive into a hiding spot. Unfortunately for him, the trees were too small to support a grown man and the bushes were dry and thorny. Never the less, he dove into a shrub, hissing as it's dry branches cut what little skin he had exposed. It didn't give him much cover, but it was enough. As much as he wanted to avoid a run in with a corpse, he dreaded meeting other people. It seemed strange that at the end of the world, it was people he'd come to fear most. Corpses were mindless, predictable. They did what they did because that's just how it was. People on the other hand, had always been terrible, but even more so in this world. When it came to people, especially _desperate_ people, there was no telling what they were capable of. 

He took a deep breath, attempting to clear his thoughts. Yes, there were people somewhere around, but he refused to be run down. Nobody would be crippling, killing, or eating him. Not today. 

He peered out from the branches, leaves concealing him from sight.

A rickety station wagon groaned to a stop. It was old, but was in surprisingly good condition. The owner really took good care of their car, despite the filth that had caked up on the sides. However, given the current state of the apocalypse, dirt was really unavoidable.

Two blond men, both monstrously tall, and a brunette stepped out.

"Damn, I thought that tire was going to last longer. I wish I could just patch the stupid thing up." The brunette grumbled, sighing. 

The woman, at least from what he could tell, wore a lab coat that he suspected was once white. He grimaced. In reality, his own clothes properly weren't faring much better. 

"Well I guess it's a good thing we have an extra, isn't it?" The tallest blond had a mustache, and kept twitching his nose like a rabbit. "I smell something." 

"Hanji, change the tire. We'll keep watch." The other blond had what could have been a military shave a few _months_ ago. From his demeanor though, Levi wouldn’t have been surprised if the man _was_ ex-military. There was an air about him that demanded his attention and respect. 

He deliberately chose to ignore it. 

Thankfully the station wagon didn't harbor any more nasty surprises, but he still couldn't believe his rotten luck. If it had been two people, he _maybe_ could have risked it, but not three. Besides, he didn't like the look of their weapons. Between the two of them alone they managed a 9mm and a crude machete while simultaneously looking _very_ capable; it'd be more than enough to mess him up. If he was lucky, which he never was, they'd drive off before they noticed him. 

Such was not the case. 

“I smell something.” 

Levi knew he smelled bad, but he couldn't have been _that_ bad. Besides, walking corpses were much more...pungent. Still, he smelled nothing. If there was anything around, he would have been aware of it long ago. 

“What is it?” 

“There's another person around.” 

His blood ran cold. 

“Tell me where, Mike.” 

It wasn't so much of a question, but a statement. They all seemed confident enough in this “Mike” guy's freaky abilities they they didn't think twice but to trust it. 

He'd seen that level of trust before once a long time ago, and the pain of nostalgia left him bitter and empty. 

“I'm not sure. It's kind of still so I can't pin point the location, but if I were trying to hide I'd be in a bush or a tree. Good coverage.” He took his eyes off his surrounding a moment to to look down at the brunette. “How are we coming along?” 

“I'm working as fast as I can.” Hanji wiped a line of sweat from her forehead. The car was already jacked up, and the nuts had just been removed. The blown tire came off with little difficulty. 

The other blond scanned the environment for any movement, gun following his line of sight. He pointed his gun in Levi's direction, unknowingly, before shifting his sights elsewhere. “If you can smell them, they're probably close enough to hear us.” He let out a soft sigh. 

Levi stilled his breathing, blinking furiously as sweat dripped into his eyes. He didn't dare move. 

“I know you can hear us.” There was a slight hum to his voice, as if he enjoyed the possibility of a hidden enemy. “If I were you, I'd stay hidden. You can't get the jump on us, and the first sign of movement I see I won't hesitate to shoot.” 

“Erwin, that may be a bit much.” Mike shuffled a boot in the dirt, anxiously. 

This group didn't see to be too bad off. They were well equipped; perhaps _too_ well. 

An idea occurred to him. Of _course_ , he should have realized it sooner. Shit,they were probably cannibals or something. That would account for their weaponry, their supplies, and how well off they were. 

“Guys, I have bad news, but there may be something else wrong. Can you sit tight a bit longer?” 

“What else needs fixing?” Erwin rose an eyebrow, eyes still scanning over the horizon listlessly. 

“It'll take too long to explain to you non-car people. I'll tell you when I'm done.” With that, she bolted the new tire back in place, throwing the useless tire to the side. 

“Are you sure it can't wait?” 

“Absolutely not.” 

A look of displeasure briefly crossed over Erwin's features, but he quickly schooled it back. He said nothing else. 

Levi shifted uncomfortably; his knees were beginning to hurt. More than anything he wanted to change positions, but that was a luxury he couldn't afford at the moment. Thus far he'd gone mostly undetected, and he wasn’t' about to risk that fragile victory just because his legs were cramping. Besides, with the level of cover he had he couldn't afford to even breathe. As he saw it, he was doing good to stay out of sight from both the corpses and the freaks ahead. 

Out of nowhere, Mike began to slash at the shrubbery around them. 

“Mike, what are you doing?” 

“I thought I saw something.” His grip on the machete tightened. 

“Well if you're so fidgety, go chop some some of bushes or something for tinder. That skunk isn't going to cook itself, and we don't know what will be available later on....” Hanji trailed off, pulling out another tool. “Besides, I trust you enough to lop off a zed-head if it gets closer than it should.” She mumbled from the front of the car. 

Shit, he was going to be here all day by this rate, and it was because of these damn freaks. They just _had_ to take forever and flap their gums about. Didn't they know the fucking world was ending? God, he really hated these people. The longer they took, the louder the pounding of his heart became. It didn't help that this Mike guy was edging closer and closer to his hiding spot. 

Mike was still hacking and slashing, and was so close he could have reached out and grabbed hold of him. He briefly toyed with the thought of taking the guy down, but that would probably draw the attention of his friends. In the end, it was still a knife in a gun fight. Levi had what they would have called a “BFK”, but it was still nothing against his enemy's weaponry. At moments like this, he really hated not grabbing more bullets from the station when he had the chance. Maybe then he wouldn't have run out so fast, and been in this situation. He could have shot them all down, and taken their stuff. That station wagon looked like it was in fairly good shape, and he could probably go for another month just off of the stuff they'd accumulated. 

There was no use regretting it now. The past was the past, and it would do nothing for him now. Best case scenario he wouldn't be found, and they'd go right on their merry way out of this hell-hole. Worst case he'd be found out and kept alive so they could eat him. There were a few more options, such as Erwin using his gun on him (assuming it had bullets, anyways), and die quick. In the grand scene of things, that wouldn't be such bad way to go out. If he died he died. Realism was his brand of optimism. 

He would fight though, if given the chance, just like he always had. He was strong, and he _would_ survive, no matter what. Slowly he unsheathed his knife, hand was curled around the handle and ready to strike. 

Unfortunately for Mike, he was given just the opportunity. 

“Hey Erwin, I think he's near by---” He parted the shrubs to expose Levi to the light of day. 

He didn't hesitate. 

Unfortunately for him, Mike was quicker than he thought he'd be. Originally Levi had aimed for his thigh-- it was a big and vulnerable target full of delicate nerve clusters--but he ended up nicking his hip instead. He knew the guy was tall, but standing next to him he realized just how much of a giant he was. No wonder he missed his target. He was further disappointed when his opponent's belt clattered to the ground. 

“I found him!” He shouted, jumping further away. 

Levi regained his footing, snarling as he lunged for him again. The quicker he struck, the sooner he could take the other two down and flee. It was a huge gamble, but he didn't see much choice he had. His course was already set into motion, and the only thing he could do now was follow it. 

Luck was never in the cards for Levi since the day he was born, and he found himself _too_ close in range. In a fit of well timed panic, Mike threw a fist into his face. 

In another life, Levi would have complimented him for such a knee-jerk reaction, but he was only met with pain. Knuckles met contact with his jaw, and he found the edges of his vision growing black, and spiraling into darkness. 

–-- 

He snapped his eyes open. He violently sat up, his entire body jerking before he flopped back down again, head swimming with pain. 

Shit wait, he can't believe he actually _woke_ up. Why wasn't he dead? 

He squeezed his eyes shut. God, of all things to black out from. Still, Mike had clocked him good, for what it was worth. It wouldn't bring him much comfort when they were skinning him alive though. 

“I can't believe you actually punched him...” Hanji sighed as popped the trunk and tossed the jack in. 

Mike shrugged. “I wasn't expecting him to come at me like that.” 

“We're fortunate it turned out that way. He really knew what he was doing.” 

“Yeah, thank god he caught my belt.” He idly scratched his scalp, chuckling. “Jesus, that could have been really bad, couldn't it?” He let out a deep sigh, “We have to outrun death everyday, don't we?” His hands hung limply by his sides. “I trust your decision Erwin, but are we sure he's one of them?” 

Without skipping a beat, he cut his eyes over to his friend. “We can't afford to rule out the possibility until we're absolutely sure.” 

“That's true enough, I suppose.” 

“Have I been wrong before?” There was a bit of humor to Erwin's voice. 

Mike snorted, “Once, but I'll try not to lord it over you.” He paused a moment, as if sensing a chance in the atmosphere, “Crap, he's already awake.” 

It was freaky how he could sense things like that. 

Hanji adjusted her glasses, chuckling. “Well, _yeah_ , if he'd been out any longer there may have been a chance for brain damage...” 

Apparently they were smarter than he'd originally taken them for. Why they bothered to go through the effort of tying him up, he didn't know. He supposed that he should be flattered that they deemed him too dangerous to leave unchecked. Still, despite the brains to tie him up, he could tell they ran out of time to properly finish the job. It was a small mercy that they'd been unable to tie his feet, but he was forced to suffer through the vice grip on his ankles. He tried to sit up again, but only ended up falling flat on his side. It didn’t how much he struggled, his captor’s hold was too strong. A hiss escaped his lips, pain blooming from where he landed on his arm.  
“You should just kill me.” 

Erwin hummed again in the same eerie manner as before, but refused to say anything. He just looked over at him, studying him like prey, letting Levi fester in the indecision: would he live or die? 

He dug his nails into his palms. They were going to eat him, there were no questions about it now. 

“Hey, he's pretty well prepared for a random guy.” Hanji rummaged through his pack, disturbing the order he'd meticulously put his things in. A rumpled shirt was sticking out, but it didn't seem to bother her. Instead, she reached for one of the outer pockets. 

“Put it down.” He growled, practically lunging for her. He managed to sit up, but was kept in place by Mike. 

“Which is it, put it down, or kill you?” Mike’s hands came down and wrapped around his ankles, keeping them still. Just for good measure, Levi tried to wriggle free, but with little avail. 

Much to his dismay, his words seemed to have little to no effect on Hanji. Yet to his surprise, she son held his gaze, and set the duffel-bag aside. That was something, at least. 

“Just...whatever you're gonna do, get it over with.” He gritted his teeth, preparing himself for the worst. 

She looked up at him then, adjusting her glasses again. It seemed to be a force of habit.“We're not going to do anything to you. Not yet, anyways.” She scratched her chin thoughtfully. “Say, what do you think about the cure?” 

“...What.” 

“Oh I'm sure you've heard the rumors.” She grinned, face lighting up as she began to talk. “When there's a huge pandemic---” 

“Is that what they're calling this?” He rose an eyebrow skeptically. He was never one for holding his tongue. 

“ _Shush_ I'm trying to save your life here, bub. _Anyways_ , supposedly there's a cure being studied on the West Coast to fix the current shit-storm we're in. There are also, supposedly, people who are immune as well. What do you think about that?” She stared intently at him, as if she were trying to gauge his response. 

What the fuck? Who ties someone up and starts asking them about some shit like the cure? Maybe he should ask them if they still believed in God, fairy-tales and happy endings while they were at it. 

“What do you _really_ want to know? You think I'm immune or something?” He snorted, “What a load of shit.” 

The answer, although honest, didn't seem to please her. She stepped back, studying him, as if to determine his use. From what he could tell, she didn’t find much. “Been in any experiments lately?” 

Just who _were_ these people? “Are you _serious_. Do you normally greet people like this?” 

“Sometimes. Other times it's the business end of a baseball bat. Your choice.” 

He could appreciate her frankness, at least. For once, he decided to keep whatever biting remark behind the cage of his teeth. 

Sensing that she had the floor, Hanji grinned and went right on with her speech again, “Like I was saying. Were you involved in any scientific studies lately? Maybe something going by the ‘Session 845?” 

These questions were too specific to be without purpose, and it was clear she hand more cards than she was willing to show. 

“What are you going on about? Damn freak…” 

This time concern crossed her features. “I could have sworn…” She stood a moment, attempting calculate and recalculate whatever had gone awry in her head. Finally she sighed, throwing her hands up into the air. “Maybe you really _don’t_ know…” 

“That’s what I’ve been saying this whole time.” 

“But what do we do with you now?” 

Why was she so intent on keeping him around? He didn’t trust her at all. 

She put her hands on her hips, lost in thought. Suddenly she snapped her fingers in revelation. “Well, we _could_ use an extra blade around here…” 

“And why's that? Got a bit peckish and ate them?” He spat, struggling against the binds. It was futile, but he wasn't about to take his fate lying down. He'd like to at least be propped up on his side, at the least. 

Mike sent a dark glare his way, but refused to take the bait. “As much as I agree that we need someone to replace...” He trailed off, voice growing quiet. It was only a second, but the silence spoke volumes, “...to replace Nanaba, but as the person he just tried to _kill_ I say we leave him. He's too dangerous to risk bringing him along.” He exhaled deeply, “Besides, we should hurry up. The car is fixed, and I have a feeling we might have some friends more unpleasant than our current company here in an hour or two.” 

“I get what you're saying, but we can't afford to be picky anymore. Either leave him to die or we take him on.” 

“He was doing just fine before us. I'm sure he'll get on alright.” 

Erwin looked down then, eyes cold and icy. “We leave him.” He motioned for Mike to move away from him. “But leave him tied up.” 

Mike looked up, bewildered. The verdict apparently shocked him as much as it did Levi. “I know I said not to bring him, but are we really going to leave him tied up? Are we going to give him any of his stuff back?” 

Erwin opened the passenger side, “No.” 

“Are you serious--” 

“You said it yourself, he's dangerous, and I agree.” He picked up the duffel-bag from the ground, and tossed it in the backseat. 

Levi's eyes widened. They _had_ to be messing with him. “Wait, you're just going to leave me here tied up? If you won't even leave me a goddamn weapon just fucking shoot me already. I can't fight like this.” 

Erwin turned to face him, and without missing a beat, “You can run, can't you?” 

His throat went dry. 

“Shit Erwin, that's cold.” A look passed between the three of them. They weren't taking what he said well, but they weren't moving to stop him in the slightest. Instead, Mike gave a final regretful squeeze to his ankles, and stood. 

“Cold would be stripping him naked, tying his feet, and stringing him up from a tree. But we aren't total monsters, are we? We simply don't have any more time to waste on him.” He ducked his head as he climbed into the car. “Are you getting in, or not?” 

He could tell that Mike wanted to look down at him, wanted to change his fate somehow, but he made no effort to do as such. He just searched Erwin's face, hoping to find some solace for the actions they were about to commit. Whatever he found brought him a peace that Levi didn't share. Instead he followed orders like a good soldier, making his way over to the car and leaving Levi behind in the dirt. 

He hated the part of himself that understood their obedience. Erwin was their leader, one way or another, and they depended on him for survival. They could disagree all they wanted, but at the end of the day they had orders to follow. What made it worse was that Levi would have done the same. 

In the end, only Hanji lingered, watching him writhe in the dirt. 

“Hey, four-eyes, even you can see this is fucked up.” He groaned as he tried to crawl towards her. The best he could do was try and push off with his feet. Maybe he could try and stand, if he got on his knees. 

She looked down at him a moment, face passive. He felt like she knew something he didn't, like this was one sick inside joke. Eventually, she too, turned to leave him. 

“Fuckin---” He hissed under his breath, “You fuckers, you can't leave me here. Not like this. Not like a fucking dog.” 

The engine turned on. 

They weren't bluffing. 

“I'm outgunned, and outnumbered, you really think I stand a chance?” He was beginning to genuinely panic. “Even if I got the jump on you, I'd only be able to kill one of you before the other two put me down. So either kill me now, or take me with you. Either way, my blood is on your hands.” 

He hated this. He'd never begged in his life, but what use for pride did a dead man have? 

He shut his eyes, preparing himself for his fate. It was bleak, and he'd done all that he could have, but he wasn't about to throw in the towel yet. 

He could still run. 

With some difficulty, he managed to roll to his knees. By now he was filthy from wallowing in dirt, and he could feel it scratching against his skin. He could do this. It wasn't like he had that much to lose in the first place. He could get out of this. 

Then he heard the car door slam. 

He snapped his eyes open, only to see Erwin standing beside the car now, looking down on his wretched form. 

_They should have been long gone by now, but he didn't dare think twice about it. This might be his last chance, and he was going to take it, dammit._

He moved closer to him, closing the gap and knelt down. “Is this you?” He retrieved a photo from his pocket. It was blurry, beaten up, and _filthy_ , rending the original contact of the picture almost unrecognizable. Wait, was that corpse blood? Jesus Christ, where did they get this? Had it been in his pocket the entire time? Why hadn’t they shown this to him earlier? If this picture was him, had they been looking for him this entire time? Shit, they’d probably planned something like this from the beginning. Fuck. No wonder why he felt off about all this. 

“Is this you or not? Your life depends on it.” He looked down at him, but there was no anger in his gaze. Just cold calculations. 

“Shit, I don’t know, where did you get this?” 

“Just answer the question.” 

He _did_ have to undergo some testing, but that was simple blood work right? Surely not…Fuck, he didn’t know anymore. 

Erwin set his lips into a firm line. It looked like he was going to leave again. 

Levi scrambled for a reason to keep him there. “I don’t know. What reason do I have to lie? What are you trying to play at? Have a guilty conscience or something?”  
Erwin said nothing, He just stared down at him, blue eyes boring into his soul. 

Finally, he cracked and let out an irritated sigh. He knew when he was beaten. “Fine. I don’t know if I’ve been in any “experiments” as you call it, but I had to have some blood drawn or some shit like that about a year ago. They didn't really tell me what was going on, and I wasn't exactly in the position to ask questions.” He shivered, remembering the cold metal of handcuffs biting his skin. “I have nothing to lose by saying that’s me in the picture, huh? It’s too grimy to tell.”  
Erwin rose his brows, and hummed again, silently looking him over. “Very well.” He pulled out his gun. 

So this was it. He answered wrong, and now he was going to die because he wasn’t the right person. At least his end would be a quick on. It was a lot better than what most got these days… 

“Mike. Help me carry him.” He motioned with his gun for them to come out and help him. 

His eyes snapped open. What? 

Sure enough, Mike crawled out of the back to help him. 

“Wait, what are you doing?” 

Mike grabbed his feet, and Erwin snuck up behind him, sliding his arms under his armpits and lifted him up easily. “I know you're desperate, but I'd like to remind you I _do_ have a gun.” He moved in closer, “And it's loaded.” 

"What the fuck are you--” 

“Calm down. We won't hurt you unless you give us reason to.” 

“Are you sure we can't knock him out again?” Mike let out an amused huff, despite his stoic expression. 

Surprisingly, Erwin's only response was the ghost of a smile. 

Hanji, as if on cue, popped the trunk. 

Just what were they up to? Had they planned something while he was out, or did they just follow Erwin's will without any qualms? His heart was pounding in his chest, pulse erratic, blood coursing through his veins. Every nerve was on fire, screaming _survive_. 

If this had been a smaller car the trunk would have been cramped and claustrophobic, but the trunk was more an extension of the backseat. There was airflow, and if he _really_ tried he might be able to crawl over the backseat into the main portion of the car. 

They unceremoniously tossed him in the back. Erwin loomed over him, his long shadow falling over him. There was something predatory in his gaze, and it made him want to crawl right out of his skin. Instead, he said nothing and closed the back without a word. 

So here he was: bound, without his gear, and in the back of someone's car without a clue as to what the fuck was going on. A second ago they were going to leave him for dead, what changed? Every instinct was on over-drive, burning, burning, _burning_ \--- 

And suddenly a gush of cold air brought him to his senses. Air conditioning, when was the last time he'd felt that? 

He became acutely aware to the sweat dripping down his back, how he was boiling in his leather gloves, and how his jaw was aching. The car began to drive off, jostling him. He couldn't see much but the large rear window. It was a patch of blue sky, clear and without a single cloud in the sky. 

For once he wasn't baking in the afternoon sun. It was fairly cool in the car, and the plush interior was a welcome change to the dirt outside. Even if he felt every bump in the road, it was a significant improvement than his previous situation. Which, seeing that he was bound and at the mercy of his captives, seemed fuckin' tragic. Still, he didn't have anymore left in him to fight at the moment. The adrenaline rush was gone, leaving him drained and exhausted. He was used up, battered, and wanted nothing more than to grab a little shut eye. He didn't know what laid ahead of him, but he was determined to get to the bottom of it. 

He could fight his battles _after_ he slept a little though. He shut his eyes for the last time, sinking into the cool quiet of the car. 

What would be, would be. 


	2. Chapter 2

He slept for what felt like years.  


His eyes fluttered open to a stream of sunshine, slowly coming back to his senses, before he'd immediately jerk awake. This cycle repeated itself almost endlessly; waking up, forgetting where he was, and then dozing off again. With each waking, he'd remembered that he was like a caged animal: safe but not free. Safe, being a relative word, since he had no idea what his impending fate would be. It made the scrape of the rope on his wrists that much worse when he thought about it.  


In between moments of consciousness, he would catch glimpses of the road behind them. It felt odd to be traveling as fast as they were, given all the time he spent walking. He was thankful for the speed though when an occasional corpse would stumble into the road, looking at their vehicle as it left it's moldy silhouette in the dust.  


For the most part the trip was blissfully uneventful; he just watched the trees and shrubs turn from green to orange in the setting sun. It wasn't until night fell that he was finally, and fully awake for the first time.  


The car rolled to a stop, and instantly his nerves were on fire with adrenaline. This was it. The easy ride had come to an end.  


Sure enough, he heard the side door open, and felt it when it closed. His three captors crawled out of the station wagon, stretching as they did so. He waited in silence, body tense and electric. The trunk popped open, and Mike loomed over him. This was it. He looked at Levi for a moment, as if searching for something to say. In the end he just breathed nosily through his nose, reached beside him and grabbed the kindling. They left the trunk open.  


Levi laid still, dumbstruck. Was that it?  


He waited a moment, hesitant, before he realized they'd let him be. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to lift roll himself onto his side. Once he was on his side he could probably get himself to sit up.

He watched them from afar, their shadowy figures almost as dark and menacing as the night. A spark of light broke the evening, before a small flame burst forth. Their faces were illuminated then, their faces creased with worry and exhaustion. They seemed to be painfully alert, but preoccupied as well. Levi seemed to be the farthest thing on their minds.

They began to talk amongst themselves, their hushed tones much too quiet for to hear. He suspected it their digression was no mistake. He let out a soft sigh, frustrated by his situation. At least he could die somewhat well rested. Although he really wish they'd just get on with it. He was never one for patience.  


Finally, Hanji looked up, firelight reflecting off her glasses. "Guys, there's a body over there."  


Instantly, their bodies tensed.  


"Human or Zed?"  


Interestingly enough, each group he'd encountered had a name for the walking dead. He wondered briefly how many other names were out there, but quickly loss interest. In the end it didn't really matter; the dead were dead regardless what you called them.  


Mike sniffed, "Not sure. Better check it out."  


Erwin nodded, brow furrowing. "Be careful."  


Hanji grinned, but it was nervous. "Aren't we always?"  


They both frowned and threw her an incredulous look.  


"What? I can't help it I'm _creative_."  


"Creative with your _well-being_ more likely." Mike snorted.  


"Whatever. Are we going to poke this thing with a stick or what?" She balanced a wicked looking baseball bat on her shoulders.

He hadn't noticed it before, but apparently they had switched out their weaponry to something more close range. He was then met with the uncomfortable imposition of whether he wanted his captors to get eaten, or if he wanted them to just bludgeon the thing's brains out.  


He watched as their figures became one with the dark outside the fire's light. There was only one of them left now. If only he'd been untied and had his knife; he could have freed himself and made off like a thief in the night. Then again his captors hadn't survived this long by being stupid, he was sure of that. Of course, if Levi had been in their shoes, he would of dumped his sorry ass. Then again, perhaps they weren't _that_ smart. They _were_ asking about the cure, after all. Only idiots still hung on to false hope like that. Maybe he should ask them if they believed in Santa Clause, or God. 

He snorted at that, but his humor was short lived.  


A shiver came over him. He was being watched.  


He trailed his gaze back over to the fire, startled by how intensely Erwin was staring at him.  


He was so damn creepy, god.  


A sickening squelch from the dark distracted Levi's attention. He knew that was the sound of a skull being caved in. However, the two came back in one piece, if not a bit gorier. Jesus Christ, they were probably going to smell.  


"Good news! It was just a dead body!" Hanji cheered. "We smashed him though, just in case." She dabbed a bit of blood off her coat, "Guh, I hate fresh ones. Better than the ones that have purified though. 

Erwin nodded, "You can never be too careful."  


Oh god, he _really_ hope they hadn't chopped him up.  


Mike reached for his pocket, digging for what Levi hoped wasn't a tasty slice of human for later. "Even better news, he had food in his pockets." Instead, he pulled out four slim-jims and a cereal bar.

Erwin rose his eyebrows, "How many pockets did he have on him?"  


Mike smirked, "Cargo pants."  


"Well hot damn." Erwin rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  


Levi stared at the ring of people before him. If they were cannibals, they would have harvested a fresh kill.  


"You found the spoils first. Take what you want."  


For the first time, they looked something _other_ than tense. They looked down right excited, human even. They weren't cannibals, they weren't jailers, they were just people trying to get by, just like him. Hanji and Mike exchanged looks and both reached for the slim-jims. 

Erwin chuckled, surprisingly fond of their reaction. "I suppose we better get started on dinner, hmm?"  


Mike blanched. "I hate it when it's my turn."  


"We're all suffering with you." Erwin clapped him on the shoulder, but was smiling.  


"Not as much as me and my nose." He groaned, but skulked off to rummage in the car.  


Hanji motioned behind her, "Hey Erwin, what are we going to do about feisty in the trunk?"  


Feisty? Really? _That's_ what they were calling him?  


He rose an eyebrow, humor receding. "I'll take care of him."  


Now for the moment of truth. His skin crawled with anticipation and anxiety, but at least he'd finally know.  


Erwin strode over to him before stopping a safe distance away and crossing his arms. "You didn't run."  


"Yeah? And where would I go?"  


His captor tried to suppress a smile, but Levi still caught the corner of his mouth twitching. Great, this group was well-equipped, _and_ had a terrible sense of humor. At least they weren't cannibals.

He found the thought sobering, relaxing involuntarily.  


At least they weren't cannibals.  


"So, gonna untie me or something?"  


"No."  


"...So what _are_ you going to do?"  


Erwin remained quiet a moment, before finally shifting his stance. "You want the truth?"  


"Always."  


" I haven't decided."  


"...Are you fuckin' kidding me?"

"Wish I was. Are you sure you don't know anything about the cure?"  


Levi grit his teeth in frustration. "I don't know why you dipshits are so focused on such a pipe dream, but no, I don't. I don't know anymore than I did when you questioned me about it the first time."  


After a thoughtful pause, he spoke. "I believe you."  


"You better, because it's the truth."  


At first, Levi expected him something else, but he just continued to stand there, staring, studying him with scrutiny. He had a feeling this was normal behavior for such a freak.  


Erwin shifted slightly, breaking the silence. "I would ask if you'd like opossum, but nobody likes opossum."  


He could tell that the statement was supposed to be humorous, but he just blanched instead. He could imagine just how oily and foul the meat would taste, and that was as close as he wanted to get. He was thankful Erwin hadn't offered; it made it all the easier to refuse him. Despite how sick he felt, he couldn't help but think about his own hunger and the fact that he was _ravenous_. It didn't help that his hungry mind hyper-focused on the snacks in Erwin's hand. It took all his willpower not to stare him down, and he hated himself for it.  


As if Erwin had heard his thoughts, replied, "Hungry?"  


Levi ground his teeth together, refusing to answer.  


A slow, knowing smile crossed his features. It was creepy as fuck. "I'll give you food, but you realize why I can't untie you, right?"  


He did, painfully so. Levi hated that even he agreed it was better to keep him bound.  


"So what, are you going to feed it to me or something? Or are you going to make me starve? Because I can go forever just on spite.  


He chuckled slightly, "Of that, I have no doubt."  


It was pointless, but a small part of him really hoped Erwin would just untie him. He couldn't think of anything more humiliating than having another person feed him with their dirty fingers. Starving was worth what little pride he had left.  


"Well you're lucky then, because it seems spite is more on my menu tonight. I'll dine on your pity another night."  


He unwrapped the slim-jim, and hunger clawed it's way out of Levi's stomach.  


"I can be a very kind man, but I can also be a very nasty one. It's up to you which side you see tonight."  


He froze, nails digging into the fabric of his gloves. Jesus, he could smell the grease and he was disgusted at how badly he wanted it.  


His stomach betrayed him and let out a fierce rumble.  


"Eat." The man was careful enough not to let his grubby fingernails leave the packaging, and for that he was thankful.  


For the first time in his life, Levi obeyed, and he was reviled to do so. He took an angry bite, snapping the meet in half and chewing with more force than necessary. He wasn't about to admit how good how meat, even if it was mostly preservatives, tasted. His mouth salivated, and he wolfed the first piece down to snatch up the remaining piece greedily. This time, he made sure to let his teeth scrape the bastard's hand in spite. The fact that he hadn't outright bit him was a show of self-control.  


Erwin kept his face carefully blank as he slowly unwrapped the cereal bar, but held it just without reach. Those eyes were cold and calculating, even in the flickering glow of the campfire.  


What a bastard, depriving him of food. It made his blood boil, but he forced himself to be calm.  


"What makes you think I won't bite off a finger or two?”  


"Because I know you wouldn't be foolish enough to bite the hand that feeds you."  


Levi snorted, "No, but I am stubborn enough to give them a good nip now and then.”  


Erwin smiled then, a real genuine smile that startled Levi. It was suspiciously fond, and he suddenly realized how much all of this was a game to the man before him. He felt dirty, allowing himself to be toyed with in such a manner, but he was too hungry to care.  


He took another savage bite out of the bar, and wolfed it down equally as quickly.  


"I don't envy your hunger. But I'd hate to have your thirst." As he spoke he pulled a clear bottle of water from his coat jacket. Apparently, Erwin had saved the best for last: water.  


Levi's eyes got big. He had a _whole_ bottle of water. When was the last time he'd been able to find that much? Yet here Erwin was, nonchalantly carrying liquid gold. He wondered how they even found that much, and whether it was pure.  
He shuddered, thinking of the microbes that could be festering beneath the clear surface. No, it had to be clean enough to drink. Why else would he offer it? Who would want to take care of a prisoner who had the runs?  


Erwin unscrewed the cap off the dented plastic bottle, label white and peeling with age.  


He really hope that bottle had been cleaned recently too, and almost thought twice about taking a drink. Yet he could feel how chapped his lips were and the painful dryness of his mouth and decided to go for it anyways.  


Erwin brought the bottle to his lips, and Levi drank greedily as if he were as dry as a desert. He was choking down water so fast that he was swallowing more air than water, and Erwin wrenched the bottle away from him.  


"Give it back." He hissed.  
"You're drinking too fast." He lifted the bottle back to him with surprising gentleness, "Slow down this time. Don't make yourself sick."  


Grudgingly, he did as he was told. The water slid down his throat smoothly, and he drank deeply. It still wasn't enough to make him feel any less thirsty, but it was a good start.  


"I'm sorry to say I can't give you any more right now, but there will be more tomorrow."  


"How?"  


"Hanji built a..." He hesitated, "What did she call it...a solar still?"  


They were a bunch of freaks, but at least they were _useful_ freaks. "So that's how you get clean water. She distilled it." It must have been in the backseat away from sight.  


He nodded, slowly shifting the conversation elsewhere. "So, what do we call you?"  


"According to glasses, I go by feisty."  


Erwin let out an amused huff. "You don't want to know the other names she's given us."  


“Try me. Your pain will bring me joy."  


"I asked you first."  


He could be difficult and not answer, but he almost feared what the alternative was. After a few moments, he replied with honestly. "...Levi."  


He nodded, as if committing the name to memory. "I suspect you already know who we three are?"  


He gave a slow nod.  


"Good. The less time it takes to get acquainted, the better." He looked over his shoulder briefly, then returning his attention back to Levi. He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted before anything could get out. From the campfire, Levi recognized Hanji's voice, “Yoooo, Commander Handsome, you done terrorizing feisty overt here?  


Erwin colored slightly at the name.  


Dear god, he wasn't kidding about the names. Still, it made Levi feel like he had some sort of power knowing it. “You better go, _Commander Handsome_ , glasses is calling you.”  


He shot him a look, which only made Levi smirk, as the man trotted back over to the fire.  


By now Mike had pulled out skillet and was frying what he assumed was the opossum. Levi _refused_ to look at the raw meat sizzling in the flame, and buried his nose into the bandana around his neck. The smell of human stink and musk made him want to gag, but it was much preferred to that of oily meat.  


He was only thankful that he was far away from the cooking fire, and away from the stench. Everyone had a look of disgust on their faces; _especially_ Mike. He couldn't imagine the meat would taste very good; if it was from the city it probably had a consistent diet of garbage.Levi gagged a little at the thought. There was no way someone could make him eat that.  


However, the other three were desperate enough that they each took their piece. They weren't too happy about it as they tried to tear the meat with their hands, and, oh god he couldn't watch anymore.  
He squeezed his eyes shut.  


Breathe in.  


Breathe out.  


Don't think about the blood, the gore, entrails, dirt and grime and the bacteria.  


It was too far out for that stupid opossum to be from the city, but the idea of something nibbling on garbage, waste, green, purple and black with mold, the filth, rot, and mold being digested--  


Filth, rot, mold.  


Filth, rot, mold.  


Filth, rot, mold.  


The thought kept circulating, looping over one another again, and again, and again. He bit down hard on his lip in an attempt to anchor himself. Normally he'd go brush his teeth or clean if he found himself hung up on a thought, but neither venue was exactly open to him at the moment. So he did the next best thing: he chewed his lips until they were raw, and counted.  


All he had to do was breathe.  


In, and out, and count, gnaw, and count.  


He focused on the frayed edges of his jeans, counting the delicate fibers and not the ridiculousness of his situation. Time seemed to stand still as he counted each thread, one by one, over and over again.  
Time began to tick by, unaware to him, as he meticulously counted all the strings that held his life together.  
Before long, there was a familiar, bitter taste of copper filling his mouth. His mouth was sore and bloody, but he couldn’t deny that he felt much better. It was a crude fix but it worked, and as far as he was concerned, that’s all it needed to do.  
He shuddered as he spat a disgusting mixture of blood and spit into the dirt below. He did this ten times – exactly ten times – before he figured he was clean enough. The acrid taste lingered, and it was a painful reminder of weakness.  
He looked up then, surprised to only see darkness. Apparently he’d been so absorbed in thought that he hadn't noticed the group disperse, and the fire douse itself. They moved towards the car again, pausing momentarily.  


“So, whose driving tonight...?” Hanji trailed off, eying her two companions, and then Levi.  


At first he thought she meant him, until Erwin was into the front seat of the station wagon.  


“I think Mike should take it easy. After all, he almost got knifed today and he was on duty last night. He can take shift tomorrow.”  


Hanji nodded, appeased with the decision. “I agree.” She hopped up alongside Erwin, in the driver's side with her bat in hand. “Just get some sleep, alright? And holler at us if you need anything, okay?”  


“Are you sure, I don't mind---”  


Erwin stopped him this time, a ghost of a smile on his features. “I know, which is why we don't mind.”  


He didn't bother quarreling with them further. “Thank you. I mean it.”  


“Yeah, yeah, just go get some sleep, ya big lug.” Hanji grinned, giving him a light shove with her foot.  


Mike smiled back at her, a small gentle smile, before shuffling off into the dark. He passed the trunk, pausing before Levi. This troupe of freaks had a penchant for staring for inappropriate amounts of time, and Levi found himself fidgeting under his gaze.  
He finally spoke up, thank god, “So…Levi is it? Do you want a blanket or something?”  


This group just confused the ever living fuck out of him. First they wanted to kill him—not that he could blame them—and now they were extending a cautious sense of generosity. At least Mike hadn’t apologized about hitting him or some bullshit.  
Still, he’d best keep his temper. This was the hand he’d been dealt, and he had to make do with it. He shrugged. “No thanks.”  


Mike nodded slowly, as if in thought. “Alright. Sweet dreams.” He shut the hatch to the back behind him, before getting into the car himself.  


Levi sighed, looking through the rear window once more. The moon was absent from the night sky, and thus he was plunged in darkness. His wrists were starting to chafe, and the pose was getting more uncomfortable. Perhaps he’d have to talk to them about that tomorrow. For now he looked out into the big unknown, his fate just as uncertain as it was yesterday.  
The car roared to life with the turn of a key, and Levi found himself lurching forward once again. So apparently their strategy was to drive all night and switch off from time to time. He couldn't say it was a terrible idea, but it certainly wasn't the best. Then again, he was still adjusting to even _being_ in a car again, so what did he know?  
He rolled over on his back, staring up at the ceiling above him while the hum of the engine overcame the roaring quiet.  


Then it began.  


Their voices were soft at first, mindful of the sleeping giant in the backseat, but as the night drew on the front seat was filled with conversation.  


“Hey Erwin, is Mike asleep?”  


There was a soft sound of leather creaking.  


“Yeah, he's out cold.”  


“Good, because I want to talk about Nanaba.”  


Even Levi could feel the tension in the air.  


“...What about her?”  


“I know we'll never really talk about it, because hey, the dead are dead and there's nothing we can do about it. We can't afford to really feel those things, and I get it, but...She was my last tie to the past.” She laughed, but it was quiet and bitter. “I know the past is gone, and that's another thing we don't talk about but, I can't ignore the present any longer, y'know?”  


There was a moment of silence.  


Finally, Hanji sighed. “You know what, it was dumb---”  


“No. You're absolutely right, it's important and I want to give you the proper response.”  


There was surprise in her voice, “Of course. Sorry, sometimes when I get nervous I jump the gun---”  


There was a smile in his voice, “I know.” Another pause, “I know she was your coworker, and you're right, your link to the past is severed. Nothing can make that better or right, but it isn't gone. Not yet. You still remember what it was like before all this. You lose that, you lose yourself, and you don't come back from that.” He paused a moment, chuckling, “Sorry, that doesn't make much sense, does it?”  


“...No, you're absolutely right, and that almost makes it worse. Although I gotta say, I think that's the most I've ever heard you say in one sitting.”  


They both laughed quietly at that.  


“But what about you, Mr. sagely experience? I know you and Mike were already a duo when he found us.” She trailed off, expecting an explanation.  


Only she was met with silence and subtle nervous shifting. “Yes...Mike and I...go a long ways back.”  


“So he's pretty much your anchor, huh?”  


“You could say that.”  


“I'll never get a straight answer out of you, huh.”  


“Like you said, the past is important but it's better that it stay there.”  


“Yeah, I know, but it feels kinda weird sometimes. We all have this unspoken bond of trust, and yet, we know little to nothing about each other. We've been traveling together for months, and I don't even know how old you are. I mean, I'm not saying we need to be buddy buddy, but...it just feels weird sometimes. Just another product of our current situation I guess.”  


“When you're staving off death together, you find out you don't really need to know the little things. It doesn't really matter as long as you have my back. I trust you, Hanji, like you said.”  


“Knowing where I grew up won't make it hurt any less if I die, Erwin.”  


“Perhaps.” His tone was quiet, thoughtful. “We won't know until it's too late.”  


“Ah, that's right, you were a soldier before all this, right?”  


He shifted uncomfortably, silence his only answer. “...Keep your eyes on the road, Hanji. I know we're in an apocalypse situation, but it's no excuse for poor driving habits.”  


He could tell Hanji was dying to ask him more questions, but to his surprise she fell silent. “Wouldn't that be the way to go? Accidentally hit a deer in the middle of zed apocalypse and you die _that_ way. How horribly ordinary. That's like dying of the flu.” She laughed a little too loudly and Mike grumbled in his sleep.  


Their voices dropped to a hushed whisper, but Levi could still make out what they were saying.  


So he was right about a few things. He suspected he'd never be completely filled in, and quite frankly he didn't care, but he held fast the fact he had guessed right: Erwin _was_ ex-military.  


The further the night drew on, the less interested he became in their idle banter. It was fairly obvious they weren't going to reveal anything else tonight, and soon they became nothing more than faint murmurs.  
He fell asleep late in the night, listening to the soft scrape of voices above him, talking about days gone by as they watched in the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize it's almost been a month since I last updated, but there's little I can do to change that at the moment. Further updates will probably follow the same schedule due to the fact that I do my own editing, (which takes forever, and a lot of stuff slips through the cracks), and I've been swamped with paperwork. Also, I've been having formatting issues so things may change from time to time. As far as the chapter goes though, I have to say tackling everyone's character has been a bit challenging in this environment but I'll manage. Feedback is always appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I actually have a lot to say for once! This idea spawned from a fun little game called 'Organ Trail' which is basically a zombie version of the game 'Oregon Trail'. For those unfamiliar, the jist of Oregon Trail is that you're a wagon train trying to make it to Oregon while facing hardships typical of American settlers in the 1800's such as: starvation, crossing rivers, frostbite, dehydration, yellow fever, busted wagon wheels, the list goes on and on... Organ Trail is basically a modern version with a zombie apocalypse twist. Typical zombie lore (such as the rate of infection per bite) may not be applied, so zombie buffs, don't rip your hair out if I go against the mold otherwise this will be a _very_ frustrating story for you!
> 
> That being said, this is a very _loose_ adaptation of what has been happening in my game on Organ Trail, and is mainly for writing practice and funsies. I wouldn't expect weekly updates or a very concrete schedule, mainly because I'm a _very_ busy college student knee deep in papers and work. That being said, this is very much a write as I go sort of thing so I wouldn't expect too much. If some thing seem a bit off or funny to you, all I ask is to give the plot/story/characters time to develop. This chapter actually gave me a _lot_ of grief (especially as characterizations go), and will probably continue to do so, unfortunately. However, I would love to hear any feedback of critiques! If you'd prefer you can message me at my tumblr account: http://the-chalk-dust-riddle.tumblr.com/
> 
> Goodness gracious, this is a long author's note.


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